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Situated on the northwest Pacific coast of Nicaragua, Estero Padre Ramos Nature Reserve is one of the most ecologically important natural areas in Nicaragua. It consists of a large mangrove estuary surrounded by several
small beach communities, the largest of which is Padre Ramos. The
site is a critically important hawksbill nesting area, hosting approximately 45% of the known hawksbill nesting in the entire
eastern Pacific! Hawksbill monitoring and conservation has been taking placte at this important site since April 2010. It remains a largely undiscovered pearl and is one of the least travelled
destinations in Nicaragua.
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Project activities are managed by a
local research team that conducts nightly patrols, egg protection, turtle tagging and other data gathering activities. During
the project's first season, staff – many of whom are former egg poachers – observed and flipper tagged more than
70 nesting hawksbills and protected 280 hawksbill nests, with a 92% protection rate! Nests are protected primarily in the
project hatchery, but community members have also designated the small island of ‘La Tigra’ as a sanctuary, where
nests are protected and monitored in their natural state. Since the projects inception nearly 25,000 hawksbill hatchlings
have been released. The project’s unprecedented successes highlight the critical importance of the area for hawksbills
and the high-conservation value of the project.
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The hawksbill conservation project
at Estero Padre Ramos has had unprecedented results. During its first year in operation we have already: • Protected more than 300 nests • Produced > 25,000 hawksbill hatchlings • Equipped 3 hawksbills with satellite tags
• Benefitted more than 80 local families The central role of local community groups and stakeholders are key to the long-term
success and sustainability of conservation efforts in Estero Padre Ramos. With this in mind, we established in May of 2011 the 'Hawksbill
Committee of the Estero Padre Ramos Natural Reserve' in conjunction with local institutions, businesses
and community groups, providing increased representation and participation by these key stakeholders. Collaboratively, members
of the committee oversee all aspects of the hawksbill conservation project at the Estero Padre Ramos Natural Reserve.
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Located in the Nicaraguan Department of Chinandega, the Estero Padre Ramos Natural
Reserve was declared as a protected area on September 9, 1983. The Reserve encompasses approximately 28,300 hectares of coastal
ecosystems. The estuary consists of extensive lagoons and numerous inlets, which are dominated by large tracts of mangroves.
Other eco-types include mudflats, sandy beaches and rocky reefs.
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Getting
to Estero Padre Ramos
For
a modest fee, we offer in country travel packages for program volunteers that make their arrival and departure simple and more enjoyable. For those with other
travel plans or simply looking to visit the site, below we provide directions on getting to the project sites on your own.
If you are a volunteer and decide to travel on your own, please be sure to arrive at the project site on the day you are scheduled!
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The
Estero Padre Ramos Nature Reserve is located 115 miles (185 kilometers) from Managua, on the Pacific Northwest Coast of Nicaragua.
There are a couple of ways to get from Managua to Padre Ramos, depending on your travel plans, budget, and time constraints.
Here are a couple: 1) Public Tranpsportation:
- Take a taxi from the airport in Managua to the University
of Central America "la UCA" (Cost $5). - Take
a microbus from UCA to Leon (Cost $2, 1.5 hours). - Take
a bus or microbus from Leon to Chinandega (Cost $1, 1.5 hours). - In
Chinandega, take a taxi or bike-taxi from El Bisne bus station to El Mercadito bus station (Cost $0.50-$1).
- Buses leave from El Mercadito to Padre Ramos at 6:45am, 9:45am,
11:15am, 2:45pm, and 4:15pm (Cost $1, 1.5-2 hours).
2) Taxi:
- Take a taxi from Managua to Padre Ramos (Cost approximately $150,
3 - 4 hours).
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Through close collaborations between
coastal community members, scientists and policy makers we aim to bring hawksbill turtles back from the brink of extinction
in the eastern Pacific Ocean
Copyright 2013, Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative - ICAPO
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